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lug. 5, 1952 E, LARSON 2,606,02

LEDGE FINDER Filed Feb. 2a, 1949 2 SHEETS- m1 2 TIE.. E

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE LEDGE FINDER EmanuelLarson, Val dOr, Quebec, Canada Application February 28, 1949, SerialNo. 78,869

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to diamond drilling oper-l ations and theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor estabbed rock by utlizing the equipment used for drill-l ing withoutrequiring any additional expensive or cumbersome machinery which wouldbe difficult to transport or handle.

The principal feature of the invention resides in operating acasing-enclosed diamond drill within a stand pipe driven as far aspossible into the overburden to advance both the drill and enclosingcasing, provided with a casing bit through the overburden to bed rock byproviding special ttings to lock the casing to the drill to rotate andadvance therewith.

A further and very important feature consists in providing fittings forlocking the drill rod to its enclosing casing, which fittings can bereadily removed from the surface after the casing has been advanced tobed rock to permit the drill,

casing connection and the casing extended to the surface and showing'the string of drill rod with the driving barrel removed arranged withinthe casing for freely operating therethrough to advance into the bedrock.

Figure 5 is an enlarged part-elevational partsectinal view showingparticularly the casing socket, the drill rod driving barrel fittingwithin the socket, and locking nut which anchors the driving barrel ininterlocked relation with the socket.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the casing socket connectionand drill rod driving4v barrel and partially broken away to show thebarrel and socket clamped in interlocked relation by the locking nut.

Figure '1 is a View similar to Figure 6 but show,- ing the locking nutremoved and the driving barrel separated from its casing socket.

Figure 8 is a vertical mid-sectional view of the bottom end of thecasing and drill string showing the relation of the casing bit anddiamond bit as the drill and casing are advanced through the overburden.

Figure 9v is a horizontal sectional view taken on the liney 9-9 ofFigure 1.

In operating diamond drills through overburden which overlays bed rockit is necessary to be thereafter operated freely within the casing topenetrate the bed rock.

A still further feature consists in forming the fittings asinterengaging socket connections whichcan be readily attached tostandard casing and drill rods to enable the sinking of the casingthrough the overburden to be accomplished by means of standard drillingequipment.

Referringto the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a part-elevationalpart-sectional view showing a string of drill rods and enclosing casingin position within the stand pipe ready to begin the advance of thecasing through the remaining overburden and showing the manner in whichthe drill rod string is locked to the casing string.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the drilling operation and showingthe drill'rod and casing advanced through the overburden to bed rock..Figure 3 is a part-elevational part-sectional view illustrating thenext successive step of the drilling operation and showing the lockingnut removed from the casing socket and the drill rod string partiallyremoved from the casing, u Figure 4 is a part-elevational part-sectionalview of a further step in the drilling operation illustrating thepackingnut replaced on the first to sink a casing which will surroundthe drill rods when drilling into the underlying rock so that the looseboulders, sand and other rubble which make up the overburden Will notcome in contact with and jam the drill when it is being turned, pulledor lowered.

Under present practices it is conventional to drive a heavy-duty pipe bymeans of a hammer or driver to sink the pipe to bed rock to form theprotecting and guiding casing. In many instances overburden overlays bedrock to a depth of one hundred feet or more and the driving o f a heavyduty pipe has its limits due to bouldersy gravel or other rubblesettling around it and rendering it impossible to be driven any further.

It is therefore imperative that a more positive means of advancing thecasing be provided in such circumstances where the pipe cannot be driventhrough to the bed rock, so that the drill will be fully guided andprotected throughout the entire depth of the overburden so preventbinding and breakage of the drill and loss of the diamond-carrying bit.

The present invention completely precludes the possibility of breakingor losing the drill through the overburden by providing a method ofestablishing with facility a complete casing string 3 from the bed rockto the surface and of further importance, without requiring anyelaborate equipment which would be expensive or difiioult` to handle inthe rough terrain in which the drilling is likely to take place.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 4 showprogressive steps of my method or operation in sinking the casing belowthe conventional stand pipe to the bed rock.

Figures 5 to 8 show in detail the special ttings and connections whichenable my method to be carried out.

With reference to Figure 1, in carrying out drilling operation methodsthe rst step comprises driving into the overburden I a heavyduty standpipe 2 as far as it may be driven towards the bed rock or solid rockledge 3.

Following the driving of the stand pipe it is thoroughly cleaned out andthen a string, preferably ush joint casing 4 provided at its bottom endwith a casing bit orshoe 5 presenting an annularcutting..edge5f,Figure8,l is lowered into the stand pipe to a short distance above the bottomof the stand pipe.

The length of casing required to reach adjacent the bottom of the standpipe is tabulated. The casing is then cut at a point which will registerwith the length of a standard number of drill rods II which will reachto the bottom of the stand pipe for a purpose which will hereinafterappear. Then to the upper end of the casing 4 is secured by Welding aspecial casing socket member 6, seen particularly in Figures 5, 6 and7.l

As will be seen this socket member is formed with inner slots or socketsI and with an interiorly threaded upper end portion 8.

With the socket member 6 connected to the top of the casing, the casingis clamped in position in the stand pipe with the connection 6 extendingabove the top thereof.

Next, the concaved diamond bit 9 is threaded into the short reamer shellor short barrel I and started inside the casing member 6. The samenumber of standard lengths of drill rods II as were used with the ushjoint casing 4 are screwed together one at a time and lowered inside thecasing.

To the top of this string of drill rods II is secured a driving barrell2 which is threaded at its lower end I3 to thread on to the standarddrill rod and which is also threaded at its upper end I4 toreceiveadditional lengths of standard drill rod.

As will be seen particularly from Figures 5, 6 and 7, this drivingbarrel is provided with an annular peripheral flange I5. from the underside of which project the spaced driving lugs I6 which are adapted to bereceived in the inner slots or sockets 'I of the casing bayonet socketmember 6.

As will be seen, the upper portion of the casing member 6 iscounterbored at I1 to receive the flange I5 of the driving barrel I2with the sockets or slots 1 opening at their upper end into thecounterbore.

The length of the casing 4 was controlled as previously described sothat when the same number of standard lengths of the drill rod arelowered within the casing and the driving barrel inserted to engage itslugs I6 in the sockets 1 the concaved diamond bit 9 will extend a shortdistance below the casing bit or shoe 5.

With the string of drill rods within the string of casing the speciallocking nut I8, which is provided With an internally threaded'upper endI9 and a reduced externally threaded lower end 20,

is threaded into the upper end 8 of the socket member 6 to securelyanchor the driving barrel and casing socket member in interlockedrelation, with the end of the nut forcing downwardly on the flange I5 tohold the lugs I6 in their sockets.

Interposed between the end of the nut I8 and the annular barrel flangeI5 is a packing ring 2| which serves the very important function ofpreventing the now of water-washed cuttings up between the casing anddrill rod to jam the driving barrel in the socket member 6 to preventunlocking of the drill rod string from the casing.

With the various steps described the length of drill rods, with thediamond bit 9 attached at the bottom end and the length of casing 4 withthe casing bit 5 attached to the bottom end, are in the position ofFigure 1 within the stand pipe. The casing is locked to the drill rodstring as explained through the use of the casing socket member 6 andthe driving barrel I2 of the drill rod string, so that the casing mustrotate and advance with the drill.

After freeing the casing from its clamp, which is not shown as it may beclamped in any manner, the drill rods are tightened in the conventionalchuck, which forms no part of this invention and is therefore not shown,and drilling is started. As in the normal drilling procedure water isforced down from a suitable pump through the hollow core of the drillrod string to wash the cuttings up the outside of the drill rod andcasing within the stand pipe.

As drilling continues it will be seen that the drill rod string willadvance and in advancing will carry the casing string, with the bits 5and 9 both effecting a cutting which is washed up with the water forceddown the drill rod string to cool and cleanse the drill.

Drilling is continued until the casing bit 5 is seated in the bed rock3. as shown in Figure 2. During the drilling operation the requirednumber of standard lengths of standard drill rod are secured to thethreaded upper end I4 of the driving barrel I 2 as the drillingproceeds.

After the casing has been advanced down into the bed rock the drill mustbe freed from the casing so that it can be operated freely andindependently to penetrate deeper into the bed rock.

To free the drill from the casing the driving barrel I2 must be removedfrom the socket casing member 6 and then removed from the drill aresecured together. 'Ihe upper end of the nut may be somewhat tapered sothat a tight bind is obtainable between the lower threaded end ofthecasing lengths 22 and the upper threaded end I9 of the nut.

During tightening of this casing iengih zz'inio.

the nut the packing collar or ring 2| resists further downward movementof the nut into the threaded end of the socket member '6, and after thecasing 22 has been secured to the nut, the nut will be threaded out ofthe casing member B upon reverse rotation of the casing 22. Upon removalof the nut the casingv22 and nut are hoisted out of the stand pipe,allowing the driving barrel I2 and the string of drill rod to be removedfrom the casing, as shown in Figure 3 where the nut is shown whollywithout the stand pipe and the drill SEARCH GM rodstring with thedrivingbarrel attached partially removed.

. Following removal of the drill rod string the casing length 22carrying the nut I8 at its lower end is lowered back into the stand pipeand the nut is then threaded back into the socket member 6 and acontinuous length of casing is established from the bed rock 3 to thesurface. A y standard core barrel and rods can then be lowered into thecasing and drilling through the overburden proceeded with in the usualmanner.

In the details of the casing socket member 6 and driving barrel I2,shown in Figures 6 and 7, it will be seen how the locking nut I8 tightlyclamps the lugs or prongs I6 of the driving barrel within the socketopeningsv 1- of the casing socket member 6 to securely lock the drillrod and casing. together for rotational and longitudinal movement.

Figure '7 also indicates clearly how, upon removing the nut from thecasing member 6, the driving barrel I2 can be removed simply and easilyfrom interlocked relation with the casing fitting 6.

The use of the short barrel I0 at the lower end of the drill rodprovides greater strength, better t and wearing qualities than would bethe case if the concave bit 9 were tted to the end of the string ofstandard rods I I to facilitate the operation of the drill through theboulder and rubble forming the overburden.

The dimensions of the casing stand pipe and drill rod are of coursedetermined by the size of the drill to be used and the method may beadapted to any drill size.l

While the casing and drill rod fittings described and illustrated formthe preferred type of interlock between the casing and drill rod, itwill be appreciated that other forms of interlocks may be used withinthe scopeof my invention. v

y The importance of using the simple ttings described will be readilyunderstood for by providing the socket member 6. which will lt withstandard casings, and the driving barrel I2, which will t with thestandard drill rod lengths, the whole operation of sinking the casing tobed rock can be carried out simply by adapting the conventional andavailable drilling equipment. The simplicity of the ttings enables themto be made in situ where any pipe-turning tools are availableeliminating delays incident to the procuring of parts. Further, thefittings may be readily handled and transported forming an extremelyconvenient as well as inexpensive means of enabling my method to beexpeditiously carried out.

What I claim as my invention is: -1. In affdiamgnddrilling operation, amethod of sinking"'"`ca`sing for guiding and protecting @diamond drillthrough overburden to bedrock in locatiowhere a stand pipe cannot bedriven to penetrate to the bed rock, comprising `ampipe into theoverburden until stopped, gwen- ..ingrastringoi casing provided at itslower end.

`vvri-th`ac1.ittingJoit intoWs'aid pipe to'"reac'h adjacent the bottomthereof, atvtagliirig a socket tting to the top of said casiglgygring astring of drill rod provided at its lower endNv/ith a diamond bitintosaid casing to bring the diamond bit below the casing bitgattaphing alocking barrel formed with means to interengage with the socket fittingto the upper end of said drill rod string to engage and lock with saidcasing socket tting `vapplying a nut to the upper end of said casing tosecure said barrel and socket membery in interlocked relation,qperatingthe drill and adding drill rods to said locking barrel toadvance said drill and casing locked thereto through the overburden tobed rock ,addingwa stvripgvonfwcasing to reach the nut and removing thenut andwlatter string of casing, then unlock; ing said driving barrelfrom said casingwsket Fitting and removingsaid barrel from saiddrillrod. and iinallyadding to the upper end of said casing string suicientcasing lengths in accordance with the depth to which said casing hasbeen advanced to extend the casing to adjacent the topvof said pipe.

2,. In a diamond drillingoperation, a `method of Iestablishing a casingshield through overburden to bed rock in. locations where a stand pipecannot be driven to reach bed rock, comprising driving a pipe into theoverburden as far as practical, lowering a string of casing car-' ryinga casing bitwat' its lower end into said pipe while tabuiatin ellenilmo,rggsiggggd, each tively positioned whereby the drill rod diamond Y bitextends slightly below the casing bit, securing a nut on said casingsocket member to lock said barrel in said socket, operating said drillrod while adding the necessary lengths of drill rod and through saiddrill rod driving barrel operating said casing to advance said drill rodand casing down through the overburden to bed rock, adding casing toreach from the top of said pipe to said nut and to threadably engagetherewith, then removing said nut through said additional casing torelease said driving barrel from said socket member, then removing saiddrill rod string from said casing to remove said driving barrel, andnally replacing said added casing to extend from the top of the casingstring advanced to bed rock to the top of the stand pipe to provide acomplete string of casing through the overburden. i

3. In a diamond drilling operation, a method of establishing a completestring of casing from the surface to bed rock in locations where a standpipe cannot be driven to bed rock through the overburden, comprisingdriving a pipe into the overburden until further progress is blocked,cleaning out said pipe, lowering a string of casing provided with acasing bit at the bottom end to reach adjacent the bottom of said pipe,adding a casing socket connection to the upper end of said' casingstring, lowering a string of drill rods provided with a diamond bit atthe bottom and into said casing to bring said diamond bit below saidcasing bit. adding a driving barrel capable of forming a drill rodcoupling to the top of said drill rod string, inserting a nut capable offorming a casing connection into said casing socket to look said drivingbarrel in said casing socket to lock said drill rod and casing stringstogether, operating said drill rod to advance said locked drill andcasing strings together to bed rock while adding a sulcient string ofdrill rod to said driving barrel to reach the top of said pipe as saiddrill rod is advanced, lowering an additional to adjacen "t embottom ofsaid pipe, cutting the string of casing to reach from said nut to thesurface and coupling said additional casing to said nut, uncoupling saidnut and additional casing by means of said additional casing from saidcasing socket connection to unlock said drivin-g barrel, removing saidnut, additional casing and said drill rod string to remove said drivingbarrel, and nally replacing said nut and additional casing string tocomplete the casing from bed rock to the surface.

4. In a diamond drilling operation, a method of sinking a drill rodguide casing through overburden to bed rock in locations where a standpipe cannot be driven to reach the bed rock, comprising driving a pipeinto the overburden until stopped, inserting a casing provided with acasing bit within the pipe, lowering a diamond drill in the form oflengths of drill rods within said casing with the cutting bit of thedrill extending below the lower end of said casing bit, locking thedrill to said casing for rotation and advancement therewith by means ofinterengaging drill and casing portions at the upper end of the casing,operating the drill and adding lengths of drill rod to advance the drilland casing to bed rock, then unlocking and removing the drill from thecasing, and removing the drill portion adapted to interengage with thecasing, then adding to the top of the casing which has been advancedwith the drill suiicient casing lengths to extend the casing to adjacentthe top of the pipe, re-introducing the drill into the casing andoperating the drill with the interengaging portion thereof removedfreely within said casing.

5. In adiamond drilling operation, a method of sinking a casing forguiding a drill rod through overburden to bed rock in locations where astand pipe cannot be driven to penetrate to the bed rod, comprisingdriving a pipe into the overburden until stopped, lowering into thevpipe a casing provided with a casing bit at its lower end and a diamonddrill comprising a string of drill rod provided with a diamond bit atthe lower end of said drill rod arranged within the casing,

locking the drill and casing together by means of interengaging drilland casing portions at the upper end of the casing with the bit of thedrill extending below the bit of the casing, operating the drill toadvance the drill and casing through the overburden to bed rock, thenunlocking and moving the drill from the casing. and removing the drillportion adapted to interengage with the casing, then re-introducing thedrill into the casing to operate freely therewithin. x

6. Means for locking a string of drill rod to a string of casing,comprising a hollow casing socket member adapted to be secured to astring of casing and formed with at least one socket recess in the innerperimeter thereof and with a threaded upper end, a driving barrel in theform of a hollow tubular drill rod section having upper and lowerthreaded ends adapted to be secured to drill rod strings and providedwith a peripheral lug formation having at least one lug projection toengage in said socket recess, and a nut to engage the threaded upper endof said casing socket member and formed with a lower end to enter saidcasing socket member and block removal of the lug projection of saiddriving barrel from said socket recess to lock said barrel to saidcasing socket member.

EMANUEL LARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 443,070 Chapman Dec. 16, 1890862,381 Bennerscheidt Aug. 6, 1907 1,804,819 Spencer, Jr. et a1. May 12,1931 2,088,025 Church July 27, 1937 2,102,555 Dyer Dec. 14, 19372,120,240 Chappell June 14, 1938 2,300,823 Whitman Nov. 3, 19422,336,586 Beckman et al. Dec. 14, 1943

